Tigers announce 19 minor-league contracts for 2013

Tigers announce 19 minor-league contracts
BECK'S BLOG
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 2:42 pm

The Tigers formally announced their first batch of minor-league contracts, 19 of them, on Monday. Most of the bigger ones were already reported, including Matt Tuiasosopo, Shawn Hill and Kevin Russo. Some are simple re-signings of guys already in the system who became minor-league free agents, such as Argenis Diaz. Some are new, notably former Dodgers reliever Carlos Monasterios and former Angels pitcher Trevor Bell.

For the most part, the deals provide some depth in the Tigers farm system and protection against injuries. Think about where the Tigers might have been without Quintin Berry this past summer, or what Darin Downs meant in a few key games, and you get the idea how moves like this sometimes end up making a huge difference.

Here’s the list so far ….

• RHPs: Trevor Bell, Cesar Carrillo, Shane Dyer, Shawn Hill, Micah Kellogg, David Kopp, Victor Larez, Carlos Monasterios, Jesse Todd.
  
• LHPs: Jose Alvarez, Ramon Garcia, Efrain Nieves
  
• Catcher: Brad Davis
  
• Infielders: Argenis Diaz, Lance Durham, John Lindsey
  
• Utility: Marcus Lemon, Kevin Russo, Matt Tuiasosopo
  

Monasterios is an interesting deal. The 26-year-old right-hander made 13 starts and 19 relief appearances for the Dodgers as a Rule 5 pick in 2010, tossing 88 1/3 innings before losing the last two seasons to injuries. He had Tommy John surgery in 2011, then needed another season-ending surgery on his ulna nerve last spring. The Dodgers released him in April. If he can make it, he could be a decent depth option for the Tigers in the bullpen.

Monasterios has been pitching as a starter in winter ball in Venezuela, allowing 11 runs on 18 hits over 12 innings.

The deal for Tuiasosopo includes an invite to Spring Training. It’s worth $525,000 if he makes the big-league club. He can ask for his release if he’s not on the big league roster by June 1.

Kellogg, too, is an interesting story, signed out of a tryout at Tigertown in September after going undrafted out of Flagler College last summer. The right-hander will report to minor-league camp this spring.